I have an ArabianxSaddlebred mare named Flicka. She is a very well mannered horse on the ground except for with one thing...fly spray. She hates it. I don't mean like prances around hates it, like her eyes get huge and she breathes heavy and just freaks out. Even the smell of it just scares her to death. I tried wiping her down with it and she reacted the same way as when I'm spraying her. I've been rubbing swat on areas that the flies are really attracted to but it just isn't cutting it. Any advice would be great.
Thanks!

As long as she doesn't have severe reactions to it (talking allergies here) I would work with it as much as possible and make her at least accept fly spray. Is she okay with other spray bottles?

First she needs to be okay with the bottle being against her body, all over her, even if nothing's coming out- the same thing goes for rags to be rubbed down with it. Spray her down with water until she's fine with that. Slowly work your way up to fly spray with the same process.

I know it isn't an allergy because the little spot I did wipe on her nothing happened. I haven't really tried spraying her with water out of a bottle but that is something to try! I will try that this evening. She doesn't mind me rubbing the bottle all over her. I let her smell it and what not. Thanks for the advice I will get a bottle and put some water in it and see if she reacts the same. :)

I know it isn't an allergy because the little spot I did wipe on her nothing happened. I haven't really tried spraying her with water out of a bottle but that is something to try! I will try that this evening. She doesn't mind me rubbing the bottle all over her. I let her smell it and what not. Thanks for the advice I will get a bottle and put some water in it and see if she reacts the same. :)

Sometimes they don't like the noise/feeling of the spray bottle, and causes them to try to flee. My gelding was like that with the fly spray and show sheen last summer. He's over it now though haha.

Have you tried using other types of fly spray?
It may be a long shot but some formulas smell different than others. If it's the smell that's freaking her out I'd maybe see if you can find one that has a different type of scent to it. We used to add scent to our fly spray (lavender) because one of my sisters couldn't stand the smell (it made her eyes water).

Have you tried using other types of fly spray?
It may be a long shot but some formulas smell different than others. If it's the smell that's freaking her out I'd maybe see if you can find one that has a different type of scent to it. We used to add scent to our fly spray (lavender) because one of my sisters couldn't stand the smell (it made her eyes water).

This is what I was kinda wondering too. Because it seems like when she smells it she freaks out. I sprayed some into my hand and let her smell it and she acted out. Is there any types that doesn't have a strong smell to it? I have bronco right now.

This is what I was kinda wondering too. Because it seems like when she smells it she freaks out. I sprayed some into my hand and let her smell it and she acted out. Is there any types that doesn't have a strong smell to it? I have bronco right now.

I'm not sure what Bronco smells like but what I currently use is Absobine Bug Block and it works wonders, it has kind of a sweet smell to it and the formula is just all around a great fly spray (it literally kills them if they're sitting on the horse when you spray them).
Most of the time if you go into a shop to get a fly spray you can unscrew the top and smell them first.

Thank you so much! Tonight I am going to see if she reacts the same when I spray water out of a bottle and if she doesn't then I'll know that's the for sure problem. But the fly spray you showed seems to have really good reviews so I think I'll just get some of that this time around anyway! Thanks so much everyone! :)

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